NEIAAANIREED LUTABER COAAPANY

cut into the concrete block foundation. The beams were spaced 48-inches o.c. They spanned the width of the foundation and were supported in thi center by a bearing wall. The beams were braced with lightweight steel bridging, and their ends were imbedded in mortar.

The beams were handled with ease by two men, since they weigh only 156 pounds each. The edge blocking between the beams was 2x4's laid flat, 48-inches o.c. Along the top of the steel beams, 2x4 sleepers were laid flat to present a nailing surface for the 2.4.1 panels. The 2x4 blocking was fastened to the beams by a hardened steel nail which was shot through the 2x4 and the- flange of the I-beam with a Dub-Jobmastei fastening gun manufactured by the Ramset Company of Cleveland, Ohio. The 2x4 sleepers were fastened to the blocking by toe-nailing at the ends.

Then, the carpenters nailed the 2.4.1 panels to by 48-inch grid with the face grain of the panels right angles to the steel beams.

the 48-inch running at

The resulting floor was quite stiff and there was no drumming when several men jumped on the panels to test their stability. Steinkamp says he is "very much pleased" yith the entire operation and adds that he thinks the application time can be cut by at least another three-quarters of an hour when his carpenters gain more experience with the new method. This will cut the total man hours required for the floor construction from 19 to about 16.

Although the combination steel and plywood arrangement was used here with the Lu-Re-Co system, it would, of- course, be equally adaptable to any home design keyed to a four-foot module. The system works equally well on either a crawl space or basement.

_ The_ Junior Beams-an exclusive development of Jones & Laughlin-are the lightest hot-rolled structural steel jvailable. Junior Beams have found widespread acceptance as a structural member for floors and roofs, but this is probably one of the first uses for the beams in conjunction with the Lu-Re-Co system.

The 2.4.1 flooring system was only formally introduced this spring by the western fir plywood industry and has found widespread acceptance when used over wood girders 48-inches o.c.

-The Batesville project indicates 2.4.1 is also highly functional rvhen used on steel supports. The thick panel his ieceived the approval of FHA regional offices in most aleas.

Contractors find that 2.4.1 has many advantages. Construction crews handle fewer pieces, framing goes in taster, the big panels cover 32 square.feet each and go on quickly, a stiffer-flbor is reaiized, and walls are shortened as muih as a foot since beams are framed flush into the foundations. In addition, sub-contractors find it easy to take up the panels for installation of plumbing and heating.

With one panel doirlg the dual job of a subflooring and underlayment, carpeting, tile, oak stripping, or linoleum- can be laid right over the solid panels.

Steinkamp used vinyl plastic tile and wall-to-wall carpeting as finished flooring in the house. Because of the succe., of tf,;i initial operation. he plans to use the steel and plywood com_ bination frequently in other styles of Lu-Re-Co homes.

Evqns Opening Poillqnd Office

Emory Moore, one of the founders of Fiddes-Moore and Com_ pany, Franklin Park, Ill., which is now a subsidiary of the Evans Products Company, has been named head of ih. ,r"* ofifice opening_this spring in Portland, Oregon. Fiddes-Moore was purchased last December by the Evans Company. E. S. E-va1s, Jr., president of the Evans Company, said eitablishment of the Portland office is another-step in-the expanding building materials marketing program of thL two combanies.-Also an-_ nounced_was the planned increase in production of plywall. A second Plywall plant has been put in operation at Corona, California.

(Tell thern Aou salao it in The California Lumber Mercharrt)